Jerry Dale Ridgell
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Jerry Dale Ridgell

Chicot County Sheriff's Office — Lake Village, AR
Cardiac Veteran →
End of Watch February 1, 2004
Age 50
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 151 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jerry Ridgell suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after responding to an officer needs assistance call.

Deputy Ridgell was off duty when he was contacted by dispatch that the on-call deputy was holding a burglary suspect at gunpoint. The suspect was reported to be failing to comply with orders.

Deputy Ridgell quickly put on his uniform and rushed out of his house. When he arrived at the scene, the suspect had just been taken into custody by the deputy and two firefighters who had come to his assistance. Deputy Ridgell accompanied the deputy and the suspect to the jail before returning home. Shortly after arriving home, within two hours of the initial call, Deputy Ridgell suffered a fatal heart attack.

Deputy Ridgell was a United States Army veteran who had served with the Chicot County Sheriff's Office for 5 years and had previously served with the Montrose Police Department for 1 year.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AR-09E07E4E
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Jerry. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Ridgell gave the Chicot County Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lake Village community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Lake Village, AR
Platform Identity ccso.chicot.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 1, 2004
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

Jerry Dale Ridgell served in the Army (1977–1981) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Jerry Dale Ridgell is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AR, 13 of 372 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.5% of this state's fallen.

Chicot County Sheriff's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Cardiac
AR — Statewide
13
of 372 officers
3.5% Cardiac
Nationwide
1,306
of 32,508 officers
4% Cardiac

National Cause Distribution

How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jerry Dale Ridgell's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Jerry Dale Ridgell Compares

Age at End of Watch
50
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 48.6 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 15.6 years

When Cardiac Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Jerry Dale Ridgell is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
124
Feb
105
Mar
99
Apr
116
May
115
Jun
95
Jul
94
Aug
104
Sep
109
Oct
121
Nov
113
Dec
111